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Craft beer scene in Las Vegas develops to quench demand
The craft beer scene in Las Vegas has started to broaden due to demand for locally-brewed ales and lagers.
Speaking about the rise in craft beer popularity in Las Vegas, president of the Nevada Craft Brewers Association and CraftHaus Brewery co-owner Wyndee Forrest said: “You don’t have to search so hard to find a local beer any longer when you’re visiting food and beverage locations up and down the strip, which is a huge stride for local beer or Nevada-made beer.”
According to Forrest, the change had come from people visiting Vegas looking at getting the true taste of Vegas but initially only finding drinks they could find elsewhere.
She explained: “With this shift in our visitors vocalising that they’re looking for something that they cannot get at home, that makes a big difference on the decision-makers who are designing the beverage programmes for their strip locations.”
Additionally, Las Vegas’ more recent evolution into a sports town has reportedly encouraged greater demand for beer, but the lull in travel created by the pandemic has pushed not just regional but hyperlocal beers.
Forrest pointed out: “People’s palates are evolving. They want a unique experience that they can’t get elsewhere, and they want it to be memorable. Those things include beers that they can’t get at home, artwork on labels that they’re not used to seeing and tap handles with different names that they’re not used to seeing.”
For instance, Circo Resort & Casino recently collaborated with Able Baker Brewing to launch a Vegas Vickie Neon Blonde beer. Plus, this year, CraftHaus introduced Rebel Spirit ale in partnership with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
Between 2014-2015 the number of craft breweries jumped from 25 to 34, when Las Vegas removed the gaming component from its brewpub laws which lowered the cost of a business license. Now there are 51 craft breweries.
There is also additions to reportedly be introduced in the Nevada Legislature next year that would make secondary tasting rooms more economical to operate, giving craft brewers in the area a further boost.
Forrest suggested that passion for beer is driving the craft brewing scene in Nevada more than anything else because tourists visiting the area want to hear where things began and what led to how things are now. But also, running a brewery isn’t easy work, so the brewers themselves have to truly believe in what they are doing.
She added: “We are storytellers. How do we convey those stories and convey especially our passion? Because you definitely have to be passionate to open a craft brewery. It’s hard, it’s challenging. There’s not a lot of rule books and how-to’s on how to do it. So passion is key when opening a brewery, for your longevity and the success of that brewery.”